REVIEW: Prometheus

In most recent memory, we have seen films either loosely based or are partially connected to a franchise that are set in an earlier time setting but are not directly linked to a first instalment. For example, there was Casino Royale in 2006 and Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes in 2011. However, ever since 2003 when Prometheus began development, questions arose of how close or how different the film was going to be in comparison to the Alien franchise, particularly the first film. Whether Ridley Scott served as director or not, the film was bound to be a highly anticipated motion picture with immense expectations. Nevertheless, Scott makes a film that shows a different style to him that we have not seen from him for a while, but there was still something missing from Prometheus. Therefore, it still had its fair share of flaws.

The science fiction genre is what initially created Ridley Scott and his talent as a film director, which we learned from Alien and Blade Runner. He comes back to the genre after many years and gave us a film that was obviously dazzling to watch, effects-wise, and had slightly similar concepts to James Cameron’s Avatar. However, Prometheus suffered from flaws that unfortunately did not make it become as great as it should have been. First of all, the screenplay was very weak and was at times, very corny. The use of bad language was not necessary because that is what makes some films funny whereas this film is not meant to be humorous in the slightest. In addition, it really lacked the tension, the fright and the terror that was expected and there were some muddled moments within the plot that caused unexpected confusions. Furthermore, despite Prometheus was filmed in 3D, it was not an entirely memorable or dazzling experience in that format either. However, director Ridley Scott was not to blame for these weaknesses as he solidly directed this, like James Cameron did with Avatar, as he embarked us back into the world that he created in 1979. It is just unfortunate that the flaws within the script and plot prevented Scott from giving us the breakthrough that we should have seen.

Swedish actress Noomi Rapace leads the pack as Dr. Elizabeth Shaw. Rapace who had risen to fame in the Swedish Millennium trilogy and made her presence known in Hollywood and, therefore, English-language films as she starred in Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows. However, her role in Prometheus was going somewhere a little different. Although this film has a leading female, like Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley, and that the audience would examine the comparison between Ripley and Shaw. Both Rapace and Shaw lacked the terrified and scary but courageous and heroic tone that we would expect from a female protagonist in a sci-fi thriller. Nevertheless, Rapace’s performance was not fantastic but she still portrayed a likeable protagonist.

In addition to the cast was Michael Fassbender, who has massively risen to fame over the past 3 years since Inglourious Basterds as he portrayed android David. Like Shaw with Ripley, David has been compared to Ash (acted by Ian Holm) and Bishop (performed by Lance Henriksen). Fassbender gave us another side to acting that he had not done before until now. He gave David that rather eerie and unique tone to his character. Therefore, he gave another memorable performance and he is just getting better and better. Furthermore, in the supporting cast were Guy Pearce, Charlize Theron, Rafe Spall, Logan Marshall-Green and Idris Elba in their respective roles as members of the team.

Overall, Prometheus is an enjoyable film that is decent enough for the science-fiction genre but it is perhaps not a brilliant Alien prequel. The film perhaps is not complete just yet and we could be in for some more films in the near future. However, it could either lead closer or draw even further away to the Alien franchise. Nevertheless, Prometheus did not necessarily have to be made and was not entirely as mind-blowing or as suspenseful as what was anticipated, but it still managed to be at least a satisfying film for audiences to appreciate and a possible sequel could improvise.